LETTER: Theatre venue plan is scuppered

Published:12:00Sunday 22 November 2015

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I AM appalled and indeed deeply saddened to learn that at the council meeting on Wednesday evening councillors voted in favour of the principle building two five-storey blocks of student flats on the Hothamton site.

This could prevent the fully and privately funded (to the tune of £80m) Sir Richard Hotham project from proceeding since their plan was to erect a wonderful theatre and entertainment venue on this same site as a part of their wider scheme which could have been underway almost immediately.

Having already spent huge public funds on independent reports, surveys and opinion polls, councillors should now be formally held to account for scuppering what is a fully and privately funded proposal which would have brought not only much needed jobs to the area, but also would have raised the profile of the town into the resort status it once deserved encouraging day and longer term visitors alike.

By this action it is clear that Arun District Council has no intention of regenerating Bognor Regis preferring to favour Littlehampton and leave Bognor to become nothing more than bed-sit and student heaven.